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Organised by Cork City Council, the Cork St. Patrick’s Festival will take place from March 14 to March 17, with a fantastic programme of music, dance and cultural activities culminating in the St Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17.

The Kabin Studio is set to take centre stage as the Grand Marshal for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The honour of leading the parade is a significant recognition of the Kabin’s incredible impact over the past decade, particularly following the recent viral success of The Spark, a youth rap anthem featuring young rappers from the Kabin Crew & Lisdoonvarna Crew.

This vibrant creative community hub, based in Knocknaheeny, was founded in 2012 by music producer Garry McCarthy (GMCBeats) and is supported by Music Generation Cork City, Cork City Council, and the Tomar Trust.

The Kabin Studio has become a beacon of youth creativity, empowering young people through rap, hip hop, songwriting, digital media, and performance in the northside of Cork City. Garnering billions of online streams, the group’s track The Spark was long-listed for a Grammy and nominated for the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Song of the Year. The Kabin Crew have also been invited to perform at music festivals such as Electric Picnic, All Together Now, and Pukkelpop in Belgium.

"We’re absolutely delighted to showcase not just the talented young people and kids at The Kabin Studio, but also to bring along their families, our dedicated team, and the wider community that’s been part of this journey with us. For the past 13 years, we’ve been building something special in Knocknaheeny, and to now have the opportunity to bring that spark into the heart of the city at such a big, positive event is a huge moment for us. It’s a chance for everyone to see the amazing characters, performers, and vibrant community that make The Kabin what it is." – Garry McCarthy, Creative Director, The Kabin Studio.

The Cork St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Monday March 17 at 1pm, on the familiar route from South Mall to Merchants Quay. The Parade will include over 2,500 participants, performance showpieces from professional art groups Cork Community Artlink and Spraoi, marching bands and groups near and far. The theme of this year’s Parade is Building A Better World - Celebrating the UN International Year of Co-operatives.

The Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. Dan Boyle said

“The parade is the focus point of a great weekend festival across the city this year, with a lot more to enjoy from Friday 14 right through to the big day on March 17. Cork has put on a fantastic programme of events of music, dance and cultural activities. I know you will enjoy supporting our local venues on this wonderful weekend.”

The four-day festival will showcase a specially-programmed range of events organised by the Cork St Patrick’s Festival in collaboration with venues and organisations in the city, supported by Fáilte Ireland.

  • Organised by Cork Folk Festival, an Afternoon Céilí Mór will take place from 3pm to 6pm in City Hall on Sunday March 16. No experience necessary as dancers will be guided with the help of experienced dancers on the floor. Booking is free on www.corkstpatricksfestival.ie
  • Coffee House Lates will take place on Friday evening March 14. Participating coffee shops are will stay open late in the evening, offering a variety of different activities including coffee mocktails, comedy and arts & crafts. See festival website for list of participating coffee houses.
  • Singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalist, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, who is renowned for his deep roots in sean-nós singing will perform in St Peter’s Cork on Sunday March 16.
  • Elizabeth Fort will be transformed into a Pop-Up Play Zone on Saturday March 15 while a trad music disco playing traditional music to contemporary beats will take place at Elizabeth Fort on Sunday March 16.

Throughout the weekend there will be trad music performances from the Lee Sessions, live music, guided tours, dance, comedy, exhibitions and family friendly events. There will also be a Night Market with entertainment on Cornmarket Street on Friday March 14.

Cork St. Patrick’s Festival social media pages will feature information both on the parade and on the different events taking place. Festival brochures will be available in all Cork City Library branches, the Tourist Office and around the city centre, and the Cork St Patrick’s Day Parade will be streamed live on www.corkstpatricksfestival.ie on the day.

While many festival events are free, some require pre-booking. The full programme plus booking links appear on www.corkstpatricksfestival.ie, which also will list road closures and bus diversions necessary for the parade.

Cork St. Patricks Festival’s Facebook page is: facebook.com/corkstpatricksfestival

RED FM and the Echo are the media sponsors of the Cork St. Patrick’s Festival

For further information contact Eimear O’Brien, Lunasa PR, 086 8900364/ eimear@lunasapr.ie